Qin Shihuangdi – the rise to power

Before its unification under Qin
Shihuangdi, its First Emperor (259 – 210 BC), China was
made up of seven major states which were often at war with each
other, vying for power and supremacy. Historians call this
time the Warring States period (475 – 221 BC).

The First Emperor’s ancestors were from a
small state in the far west of the region called Qin (pronounced
chin). The Qin were horse breeders for the ruling Zhou
people (pronounced joe). After the Zhou gave them land for
the task, they began to organise themselves and develop political
skills. They gradually assumed power, giving their leaders the
title of ‘Duke of Qin’ and then in 325 BC raising it to ‘King of
Qin’.

When they conquered and occupied the lands
that belonged to the Zhou, the Kings of Qin also felt they had
inherited the right to rule from them. That feeling fuelled the
ambition of the 13 year old boy Ying Zheng, who became King of Qin
in 246 BC.

In 221 BC the King of Qin defeated the last of
the Warring States and gave his state’s name to the unified empire.
Historians believe that this is the origin of the western word
China.

He chose a new title for himself: Qin
Shihuangdi, which means First August and Divine Emperor of Qin:

‘First’ because he planned a long line of
successors
‘August and Divine’ as he was now equal to a god
‘Emperor’ to separate himself from his ancestors who were only
kings and dukes, and align himself with mythical emperors of the
past.